How to break 90
Golf is a lifelong pursuit that will always challenge, may entertain, and will almost certainly frustrate at times. For most players, golf scores similar to those consistently seen from our favorite pros may be unattainable. A more reasonable goal for most is to find a way first to routinely break 90, but how do you get there? A few regular adjustments will provide the best opportunities to do so.
Pre shot routine:
Every golfer needs a pre shot routine that happens every time you approach the ball. For example, during practice always visualize a target; plan your shot and try to see the outcome. Take one or two practice swings to get a feel for the stroke before you step to the ball. The key to this is consistency, if it happens every time you can begin to take the guesswork out of your game.
Practice more than you play:
Don’t try to fix your mistakes on the back nine. When you are on the course you shouldn’t be thinking about how to correct your stroke, grip, stance etc. In fact, if you’ve done the work off the course, you shouldn’t have to think about much at all; trust your muscle memory to do what you have practiced.
Practice the minimum:
To perfect any physical skill, it is important to focus on the smallest amount of information possible at one time. You cannot simultaneously pay attention to the plane of your stroke while thinking about the weight on your left foot and refining your grip. Try to pick one small thing to focus on at one time and work it into your muscle memory. Practicing the minimum will allow you to stop thinking about each factor of the game while on the course. Again, the goal of this process is to make your motions automatic, effortless and fluid.
Care less:
It may seem counterintuitive but when you step onto the golf course, the more invested you are in each shot, the less you can rely on the hard work you have put into your game during practice. Do the work on the driving range so that you don’t need to worry about it when you need it.